Author Archives: Boyd Bailey

Whoever believes in him [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 3:18

Belief in God is vastly different from my belief that God exists. For example, I may see a stranger walking down the street and believe they exist, but I certainly don’t believe in them, because I don’t know them. In the same way, I must move beyond my mental assent of the Almighty to a belief in Him as my Lord and Savior. I grow from a religious routine related to a distant Deity to a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ. Belief in God is trust in God.

Belief in God is much more than turning to the Lord only when we are in trouble. It is a moment by moment consciousness of Christ and a daily walk with Jesus in His way. This level of trust in the Trinity transforms our thinking and molds our behavior. The Holy Spirit becomes our trusted guide who reveals our next step in a sticky situation and who warns us regarding unwise decisions. Yes, belief in God gets us to God as our number one trusted advisor. Belief births salvation.

He [Jesus] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Take to heart a heart felt faith experience by your personal belief in God. Jettison the idea that God is disconnected from daily life for it is the difference between heaven and hell and peace and insecurity. Glory to God! Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to free it from the sentence of sin. The instant you trust Christ’s death for your sin’s absolution in place of your morality, you are free indeed. Belief in God equals eternal life with God.

Not being an atheist is not enough, even the devil acknowledges the existence of God. So, your belief in the Lord is focused, not vague. It is concrete, not abstract. Trust in Christ listens first to His voice and shuts out the competing noise of the culture. Before belief, God was your enemy and the devil your ally. After belief the Almighty is now your ally and the Adversary your enemy. Thus, in Christ, you are no longer condemned, but set free to worship, serve and love your Lord!

Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I believe You’ve existed for all eternity and I believe in Your son Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.

God cares about you. He cares about your job; He cares about your fears; He cares about your spouse; He cares about your children; He cares about your parents; He cares about your worries; He cares about your finances; He cares about your car and your house; He also cares about your character, and He cares about you caring about Him and caring for others. He is a caring God. You cannot out-care God. His capacity to care is infinite and his competence to care is matchless. You can care because He cares. There is no care of yours that God does not care about. If it is important to you, then God cares about it. Yes, you will experience misdirected cares, but God’s desire is to come alongside you and realign your cares with what He cares about the most. He cares enough to bear your anxieties and to replace them with His peace and assurance.
When you give God your worries, you in turn, receive His calming presence. God’s system of care is countercultural. God transforms your cares into what He cares about; so cast your cares on Christ. Equally spiritual people may cast their cares on God in polar opposite ways. One may find release in a quiet written prayer, while another may feel cared for by God through raucous worship. Let another’s processing of anxiety be a guide, not a guilty comparison.
You know God cares immensely. So how do you cast your cares on Him? By faith, you let Him care. He cares and can be trusted. Therefore, allow Him to do what He does best. You allow Him to care for you. This takes humility on your part. You are acknowledging a desperate need for God. Your declaration of dependence is two-fold. You admit you are anxious, and can’t handle your worry alone. Secondly, you submit to the fact that only God can handle this level of concern. Hence, your submission to God allows His care to consume your anxieties. Your care-giving to God is recurring. Over time, He helps bring your feeble faith and misguided mind into focus on Him. What started out as a burden, He transforms into a blessing. Your pain becomes productive.
You become free to care for others, because He has freely cared for you. Your perspective takes on a heavenly flavor. Do not wait until matters get worse before you off load on the Lord. Go to God first, because He cares the most. Let bad news travel fast, because He already knows. An all-caring God cultivates a carefree attitude. The more you allow Him to care about your worries, the less you have to care. Then you can focus your care on people and eternal issues. Let God be consumed with your cares so you are not. Then you can lead others to your all-caring Christ. Care for them as Jesus does. Your care will lead to His care. This is the beauty of the circle of care. You do it right, and they will want your God. You care for others, and they will want the God that cares for you. Keep your caring Christ-centered. You care because He cares. You can care because you have let Him care for you. Keep the circle of care rotating.
Do not grow weary of caring; He doesn’t. He cares for you. Therefore, give Him your cares and experience His care. Christ is your number one caregiver. Jesus said it well: “…do not worry about your life…”(Matthew 6:25).

Post/Tweet today: You are free to care for others, as you let the Lord care for you. #Godcares

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17–18).

Radical trust means you trust God even when He does not come through. You are not pregnant, but you still trust God. You do not have a job, but you still trust God. You have been betrayed, but you still trust God. You are sick, but you still trust God. You are lonely, but you still trust God. You are afraid, but you still trust God.

Your wise decision making is based on God’s trustworthiness. You know He is able, but it is still about His timing. And you will not compromise your convictions because you trust Him. It does not seem fair or right. But God has a bigger picture in mind. Do not be held captive by your finite knowledge and understanding. You can still trust the One with infinite wisdom and understanding. You are not alone in your current fire of adversity.

The Lord is with you. Your faith has been bolstered and is not extinguished because you know God is walking with you. Your faith is fireproofed by the Holy Spirit. The flames of hell are no match for fire from heaven. Your Savior defeats Satan in every encounter. But even when you are denied acceptance and physical comfort, you can still trust God.

Trust in God is not just for the good times, though there is a radical trust required as prosperity pelts your faith. But radical trust is much needed when things heat up. When you lose something precious or you are refused something you deserve, this is the time to ratchet up your radical trust. It is for times like this that God has molded your faith.

What if God has not come through? Radical trust means you stay focused on His past faithfulness. The mundane every day life is a link in the chain between life’s transitions. Today’s link is as important as tomorrow’s transition. Hope for the transition to come, but trust God with today. You cannot handle more than today’s troubles and triumphs. Do not worry about matters in the future over which you have no control.

Trust God with today, and do not worry about the uncertainty of tomorrow. This is radical trust in Christ. If you obsess over fear of the future, you most certainly will define the ambiguity with negative consequences. Then unwittingly you create a self-fulfilling prophecy. You worry yourself sick. You worry others sick. Or you are of no use for today because you are worried about tomorrow. You are stuck in the inertia of distrust.

But the Lord can be trusted. Meditate on His faithfulness instead of what might happen. Unleash the radical trust that resides within you. When you were younger, radical faith marked you as a follower of Christ. Reignite that passion for Jesus. Lay aside the sins of disbelief and worry. The cross of Christ and His resurrection are radical. Trust God even if He has not or does not come through. He is still trustworthy; so be radical in your trust!

Prayer: Do I radically trust the Lord with past events and decisions? How is He trustworthy?

“Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:13-14

Jesus was tender and tough. He took the time to love little children, but He was also bold to confront greed in the face of businessmen using God for personal gain. However, most of the time Jesus modeled affection toward those who could or could not reciprocate—and acceptance toward those who had experienced rejection. He graciously extended both.

Do you daily receive the affection and acceptance of Almighty God? Have you begun to comprehend the depth and breadth of His magnificent love? Oh, what a Savior and lover of your soul! A close friend may give you the cold shoulder, but Jesus warmly embraces your cares and concerns. Perhaps a fellow Christian rejected you for your indiscretions, but Jesus accepts you despite your failures and lifts you up to walk faithfully with Him.

“Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:10-11).

Acceptance is a magnet for those feeling isolated and misunderstood. It is a remedy for realized or unrealized rejection. Your spouse caught up in their own concerns can communicate insensitivity and lack of intimacy. It’s when you feel this relational distance that you turn to Christ and enjoy His closeness. Only Jesus provides acceptance all the time. His approval gives you confidence to go forward by grace through faith.

Affection is a tender touch, an empathetic ear, a compassionate conversation and a patient prayer. It looks beyond the ugliness of sin and the harshness of humanity—and engages the heart. Affection is not concerned about getting—but is consumed with giving. An affectionate heart cannot wait to love those dismissed or discounted by others.

Who in your life needs your affection and acceptance? Does your child feel your support and sensitivity? Do you honor your distant parents with love and respect? What about friends and family who are consumed with their own concerns—do you invite them into your life to experience your family’s joy and the compassion of Christ? Reach out to those whom others have rejected and watch the Lord do a work of redeeming love.

“I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will walk,’ declares the Lord.” Zechariah 10:12

The Lord is strength for the journey of life. Fatigue and discouragement can assault us like a bandit on a deserted dirt road. Life is constantly swinging its bruising punches. Before long we can become beaten down with no energy to continue. We know in our heads we are children of the King, but our hearts feel no royal resilience. Fatigue requires faith.

Weariness is an opportunity for the Lord to strengthen you. He uses His people to energize and encourage one another. We are all needy and it is just a matter of time before we all have to learn how to receive. The Lord wraps His strength around the gift of a prayer warrior—someone who storms heaven on your behalf is a strength giver.

Do not let divorce, death or disappointment exclude you from the Lord’s strength. Work will get you down. People will let you down. Failure will knock you down. Your greatest fears may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Fight fear with fear. Let the fear of God strengthen you as it fortifies your faith in Him.

“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).

The greatest energy drainer may be serving God in our own strength. This is one of Satan’s most effective schemes. He wants to occupy us in good activity void of eternal energy. Serving God and others in our own strength means we are driven by what we can do for God, rather than what He can do through us. It’s the difference between being energized in our service or being drained by our service. Christ’s strength comes from being still.

He strengthens your soul in daily quietness before Him. His whisper of affirmation motivates you to walk with Him. It is learning to trust in Him and not strive for Him. This total trust replenishes your soul like an ice-cold sports drink to a cyclist ascending the tallest mountain in the blazing hot Tour de France. His spirit gives life and endurance.

When you received Christ you received His strength. Strength already resides within you. He is available to you. Your Savior has no fuel crisis to reckon with, as His supernatural resources are infinite. You cannot go for encouragement too many times. Walk in His name and be energized by Him. His Holy Spirit infuses strength, so be strong in the Lord!

“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers” (Acts 9:31).

Prayer: Does my strength reside in my righteous Savior or in my own exhausting efforts?

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

The holidays have built in tensions: relational expectations, food preferences, windows of time to watch football, behavior of children, political and religious discussions to name a few. Some people tip toe around with their words so as not to step on anyone’s toes, others barge in like a blind bull in a china shop hurting feelings indiscriminately. Like the plastic cover on grandmother’s couch we need respectful interaction, not fake, to increase peace and joy.

Fortunately, their are family peacemakers who create an environment of acceptance and harmony without harming everyone’s ability to be themselves. We can contribute to the peace effort by being good listeners. We show respect by not dominating the conversation with our impressive intellect or refraining from a rambling exposé of our most recent exotic trip. Instead, empathize with a cousin who just left rehab. These annual reunions are not about us, but about those who are hungry for something more than bread pudding, indeed the Bread of Life, Jesus.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

The goal is not for tension to completely disappear, for this is a good outcome of being real. Like a good movie, authentic families will have some conflict composed of drama and comedy. But, in an awkward moment we can make someone feel special by affirming their good traits. If we are the one on the end of an embarrassing childhood memory, we can laugh at ourselves. Humility does not take itself too seriously, but takes the Lord very seriously. Be a tension reliever, not creator!

Lastly, model for those who do not know the Lord, how to love the Lord and others well. Your holiness is a humble expression of Christ’s character. You know better, because you know God. So, extra grace is required since you have tasted the grace of God. Furthermore, there are some relatives who are mere infants in the faith, thus they require long suffering and direct responses. Yes, make the Christian brand attractive with your smile, service and sensitivity. Your family will experience some degree of tension over the holidays. In the process show them Jesus in your life.

So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. You’re certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God’s work among you, are you? Romans 14:19-20, The Message

Prayer: Heavenly Father, during our holiday family gatherings use me as a peacemaker, not a peacefaker.

Freely you have received; freely give. Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Matthew 10:8-10

Jesus gives His disciples simple instructions with a simple strategy to simply share the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons. He commissioned them to focus first on their own nation. The Lord encouraged an unencumbered life so His followers where free to focus on eternal life. Christ keeps it simple because He knows we are easily distracted and can drift into complex schemes that suck the life out of opportunities to give life. The gospel only needs clarity in communication, as the Spirit’s power uses this earnest simplicity to unleash heaven’s influence.

Status, stuff, society, sin and self all move toward making matters more complex than is necessary in the Kingdom of God. Like an intricate spider web, the complexity of life can trap us in an inertia unable to respond in spontaneous service. By the time we are free to return a call or clear our calendar, the hurting person has moved on to someone who has time. The motto of earnest simplicity is ‘less is more.’ Because God has freely given to us, we are free to freely give to others. Avoid sin’s complexity so you are available to bless others with pure joy.

Evildoers are snared by their own sin, but the righteous shout for joy and are glad. Proverbs 29:6

Earnest simplicity does not mean we are all called to live a monastic life, but it does mean we are free from the seduction of stuff. An unencumbered life is not isolated from society, but it is free from culture’s control. A life with margin does not seek status, but it does use success as a platform to care for the unfortunate in Jesus' name. Enjoy your season of simplicity as a window for the sunbeams of the Son’s love to shine through your soul. Simplicity points to your Savior!

Perhaps it's time to resign a role or responsibility that no longer requires your attention so you are available for impromptu interactions with hurting hearts. Sometimes it is the spur-of-the-moment ministry opportunities at your church that mean the most. Be on call for Christ and He will open doors for you to simply share the gospel with lost souls. Moreover, create margin with money, so in the moment you can freely give to those hungry for help. A little bit of immediate encouragement is the fruit of earnest simplicity. Keep it simple, so the Spirit can work in you!

Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God. Hebrews 12:2-3, The Message

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I speak the simple gospel and simply live by faith in Your provision.

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26

Fans of Jesus stay a safe distance away as observers. Followers of Jesus engage up close as servants. Fans have fun at a Christian concert, but go on living for this life. Followers have fun at a Christian concert, but go on living for the life to come. Fans obsess over anxious thoughts. What if I lose my job? What if I lose my health? What if I lose my house? Followers rest in being with Jesus. They remain faithful where the Lord calls them to serve. They follow by faith.

A fan of Jesus is emotionally whiplashed by life’s ups and downs. Their joy and peace rises and falls like the peaks and valleys of a stock market pricing chart. Similar to the double minded they are unstable in their faith commitment. If things go well, they are well. If things go bad, they are bad. Their spiritual voice grows hoarse cheering on other Christ followers who sacrifice all, but they don’t plan to give up very much for God. Fans are comfortable as spectators not servants.

If you care for your orchard, you’ll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you’ll be honored. Proverbs 27:18, The Message

As a follower of Jesus you see Him as your Savior and Master. You don’t passively watch Him work like you would an entertaining show, rather you actively roll up your sleeves and serve with Him as the Spirit leads. Beautifully and generously, the Lord invites you to enjoy the fruit of your labor. Years of sowing Biblical teaching into the heart of your child will grow a harvest of humility, love and laughter. What you give up for God, you get back bountifully from God.

Furthermore, your Heavenly Father honors you when you follow and serve Him. Your fidelity of faith in Jesus is not mist on a mirror that quickly melts away. Instead, it is the continual flow of living water from your heart that bubbles out of your love relationship with the Lord. Your Heavenly Father honors those who honor Him with His abundant grace. He owns you, because He bought you with the blood of His son Jesus. The One who gave His all deserves your all!

They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. Revelation 17:14

Prayer: Heavenly Father, my heart’s desire is to be an engaged follower of Yours who serves where You want me to serve.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…”
John 13:14-15

Out-serve your spouse. This is not natural to our selfish self, but out-serve your spouse, and you will start to see positive differences in both of you. Service makes them feel cared for and makes you feel fulfilled; service makes them feel loved and makes you feel rewarded; service makes them feel respected and makes you feel significant. Of course, unappreciated service can wear you down over time, but trust God. Allow Him to supply the strength for your service. If the Lord is not empowering your service, you will eventually burn out and possibly become resentful. Bitter service does not last, but joyful service does.
Serve your spouse out of gratitude to God for giving them to you. Serve them in the routines of life and when they least expect it. Serve them where they want to be served, not just where you want to serve them. It may be unloading the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn, maintaining the house, or taking care of the cars. Their service may include an organized family, dinner at home, being on time, keeping a calendar, or planning a trip. If you are unsure, ask them how they like to be served. Furthermore, carry this attitude of out-serving into your occupation. Be one who serves in the work place, especially if you are a leader or manager. Quietly and clandestinely clean up the break room, even wipe out the gooey microwave with its burst of flavors matted to the inside. Service from a sincere heart values and respects others.
Our Savior modeled service. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His very own life as the ultimate act of service. When we enlist in the service of God’s Kingdom, we become His full-time servants. Service for our Savior is a thread that runs through the life of everyone who is led by the Lord. If Jesus is your model for leadership and living life, you serve. He served the least and the greatest; He served the sinners and the saints; He served the rich and the poor; He served singles and He served families; He served mad and He served glad; He served when He was tired and He served when He was rested. You could not out-serve Jesus because His service was motivated and fueled by His heavenly Father. Intimacy with the Almighty compels you to serve.
Ironically, Jesus served others even at the point of His greatest need. When engulfed in His own personal crisis, He chose to serve others instead of being served. The night before facing imminent death, He served by washing feet. Use this same selfless strategy of service, and watch the world run to Jesus. In the middle of your own Last Supper experience, serve. When you are rejected, serve instead of retaliating. When you are forgotten, serve instead of feeling sorry for yourself. When you are hurt, serve instead of allowing your heart to harden. Furthermore, serve for Jesus’ sake and not your own. Make it a lifetime goal to out-serve all you come in contact with, especially those closest to you.
To out-serve yields an outstanding outcome. An out-serve attitude is other-centered and Christ-focused. You can’t out-serve Christ, but you can be a conduit of service on His behalf. Seek to out-serve others for your Savior.

“They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken” (Ezekiel 22:28).

Be careful what you attribute to the Lord; make sure He is speaking and not ego, greed, or pride. Watch out for spiritual sounding souls, as they can be the culprits of Christless advice. They may talk about God and even invoke His will into discussions. Be wary of someone who assigns God’s will arbitrarily on a prayerless whim.

Make sure what others are suggesting, even commanding, is not self-serving for them. God speaks through generous givers, not tawdry takers. God normally communicates through humility, faith, and accountability. If others have it all figured out for you, this is a flag. They may have a wonderful plan for your life and have missed God’s plan entirely. Avoid people who throw God’s endorsement around aimlessly.

Pseudospirituality is nauseating to our Lord. How can He speak clearly, consistently, and with creditability through someone infiltrated with compromised character? This type of “God speak” creates a dysfunctional faith. It is faith built on man’s persuasion and persistence rather than God’s will. What starts out as a pure word from the Lord can evolve into a perverted word from man. Listen first to God; then validate it with man.

God does speak through His Word. Holy Scripture does not need any help as it stands on its own, tall and glistening in the glory of God. While you read and digest His Word, by faith you know He has spoken. He speaks loudly, precisely, and clearly from Scripture. “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).

Use the New Testament as a filter for the Old Testament. This is the Jesus method of Bible interpretation. Seminary can be a good form of learning, but sitting at the feet of Jesus is better! As He speaks to you through His Word, validate it through wise counsel.

God speaks loudly and precisely every day. He speaks through authorities, He speaks through our spouse, He speaks through our health, He speaks through our calendar, He speaks through friends, He speaks through strangers, and He speaks through circumstances, but most of all He speaks through His Word.

Obey what you know, and over time what you are unsure of will become clear. Listen intently to the Lord and submit. Do not use or abuse this Christian privilege of hearing, knowing, and understanding God’s voice. He speaks; so humbly listen and obey.

“The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:10).

Prayer: Is the Bible my primary resource for discerning God’s will?

Related Readings: Exodus 20:1; Psalm 62:11; Acts 11:9; Hebrews 1:1–3

Post/Tweet today: Holy Scripture does not need any help as it stands on its own, tall and glistening in the glory of God. #Godspeak